GT5 Prologue in April

By Robert Purchese Published 29 January, 2008

In US. SCEE still making mind up.

Sony has said Gran Turismo 5 Prologue will be available in the US on 17th April.

You will be able to get it on the PS3 Store and on Blu-ray in shops, where it will carry a price tag of USD 39.99 - you get some behind-the-scenes footage with that.

Unfortunately Sony Europe told us it has yet to announce its plans, but if you have US credit card you can set up a US PSN account and grab it when the Americans do.

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is a demo. No wait, a game. No, a demo. "A taster or something like that," says Tom.

Basically it is a meaty idea of what to expect from the full Gran Turismo 5 game whenever it eventually surfaces. Inside are 60 ridiculously nice-looking cars to zip around tracks from all over the world on against 15 others and at 60 frames per second.

Its pedigree would walk into Crufts and we were suitably bowled over by the recent GT5 Prologue demo.

Pop over to our Gran Turismo 5 Prologue first impressions to find out more.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (48) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • jonsaan #1 4 years ago

    Japanese version is stonkingly good.

  • miiiguel #2 4 years ago

    A delay for Europe?! That's a first.

  • PEANUTXXI #3 4 years ago

    Did I read that wrong or was that 39.99 (20 quid) for a demo/taster?

  • Darren #4 4 years ago

    So is the US going to get the GT5 Prologue demo prior to this game's release in April, i.e. the same one that the Japanese got before Christmas? When will we get it? Are we getting it even?

  • ruckus #5 4 years ago

    Will GT5 even make 2008?

  • Beano #6 4 years ago

    "A delay for Europe?! That's a first. "

    Rumor has it that SCEE has just learned about GT5 Prologue from reading this article.

  • Freek #7 4 years ago

    Here's an idea for an article: an interview on location with SCEE, to find out what the hell they do all day.

  • Pedrolot #8 4 years ago

    Why is it ALWAYS SCEE that's always making it's mind up? Cant they just pick a date out their hat and say...

    'yeah, we'll go with the American date..'

  • Max_Powers #9 4 years ago

    Does anyone still care about Gran Turismo?

  • seasidebaz #10 4 years ago

    @max_powers:

    yes. it beats the arse of forza.

  • Putty-Man #11 4 years ago

    This is one game that could tempt me to buy a PS3, but there have been so many demos...or whatever they are...that Im startin to loose patience.

  • lambtron #12 4 years ago

    "A delay for Europe?! That's a first.

    Rumor has it that SCEE has just learned about GT5 Prologue from reading this article."

    haha!

  • Yaz #13 4 years ago

    I was wondering how long it would take before Forza and PGR were mentioned. :)

  • FlamingCarrot #14 4 years ago

    £17.99 on Amazon pre-order. I got the Jap import and its the mutts swingers. The in car view does it for me.

  • Darren #15 4 years ago

    @lavalant - "Does anyone care about GT5? on the 17th of April we'll all be sweating over the luming GTA4 release.

    Doesnt look much better than PGR4."

    GT5 Prologue runs at 60 fps @ 1440x1080 with 16 cars on-track versus PGR 4's 30 fps @ 1280x720 with 12 car races. OK so GT5 Prologue lacks damage modelling but PGR 4's was only cosmetic anyway and didn't have any affect on the handling. GT5 Prologue certainly looks technically impressive but my main concern is whether the gameplay will be as dull and unecxiting as the previous games in the series. I mean PGR 4 is fun but then it's not a simulation like Forza Motorsport 2 or GT5.

    Forza 2 is GT5's nearest competitor but it was visually bland and wasn't quite the step up from the previous Xbox game I was hoping for. GT5 at least has dashboard views and twice the number of cars on the track so hopefully it'll be a better game as result. No damage simulation is disappointing but at least I won't have to worry about messing my car up for the Photo mode! LOL

  • miiiguel #16 4 years ago

    "I was wondering how long it would take before Forza and PGR were mentioned"
    It kinda makes sense, because, those ones actually exist. Both of them were release in US and Europe around the same time.

    That said, Sony will do anything to please Americans..., so better live with that.
    Edited by 1 at 29/01/08 @ 16:31

  • mossychops001 #17 4 years ago

    PGR, that was the best BATMAN game ever. only joking!


    I've orderd GT5 Pro Disc and i will download too.

  • Carlo #18 4 years ago

    Import GT5P from USA and play ona PAL PS3?

  • awb83 #19 4 years ago

    It's on http://www.amazon.co.uk< /a> for £17.97
    Edited by 1 at 29/01/08 @ 17:11

  • Dead_Man_Typing #20 4 years ago

    60 cars?

    Your first impressions link says there are 37 in the Japanese version. More cars in the US version, or has Eurogamer made a mistake. I know which I believe.

  • monkie_king #21 4 years ago

    Does anyone else think 16 cars on track might be a bit many? On shorter racers it's going to be a serious effort to work your way from the back of the pack before the leaders are a half-lap ahead (without some serious scrummage tactics on slow corners, anyway). Unless you're willing to go through the drudgery of qualifying for every event, that is.

    Seems like a bit of a "more = automatically better, innit" decision.

  • Emth #22 4 years ago

    It must be taking so long due to all the text and voice acting to translate/rerecord.

  • sickpuppysoftware #23 4 years ago

    "Here's an idea for an article: an interview on location with SCEE, to find out what the hell they do all day."

    They have secret pyjama parties with NOE. Both have been doing it for so long they've forgotten what their real jobs are and the Japanese headquarters lost the phone numbers down the back of the sofa.

  • Syrok #24 4 years ago

    Does anyone else think 16 cars on track might be a bit many?

    A lot better than just 5 other cars and it should be a lot more fun/challenging.

  • monkie_king #25 4 years ago

    Does anyone else think 16 cars on track might be a bit many? On shorter racers it's going to be a serious effort to work your way from the back of the pack before the leaders are a half-lap ahead (without some serious scrummage tactics on slow corners, anyway). Unless you're willing to go through the drudgery of qualifying for every event, that is.

    Seems like a bit of a "more = automatically better, innit" decision.

  • bengray66 #26 4 years ago

    @max_powers:

    yes. it beats the arse of forza.

    So you have played GT5 then have you???

    Personally i thought Forza 2 was a bit too hardcore, and i got bored of just driving faster cars round the same tracks for longer periods of time...

    But you can't harp on about GT5 yet surely! its been 1'000 years in the making, and just how revolutionary can a racing sim be?

  • sharpfish #27 4 years ago

    I liked Forza 2 as a car nut, being able to try out different cars in an 'ok' looking game. However it wasn't in any way jaw dropping to look out, quite pedestrian in it's artistry in fact. It did feel very smooth @ 60fps but I would hope so based on it's looks. I agree with the above comments though, it was seriously flawed in it's gameplay progression which was drab and unexciting. The onus on the player to want to keep buying different cars rather than have fun with the one they have spent time/money on. It was a little too serious. I spent more time in the mod shop and testing on nurb than I did playing most of the other very plain looking tracks.

    PGR3 was a much more fun game to actually PLAY and PGR4 even better.

    GT5 could possibly lap both of them if it gets things right and I hope so, competition is good and the GT series has always been a racing game technology pusher whether we like it or not (or whether we like PS1/2/3 or not).

    If this games is amazing it will be the FIRST reason for me to want to invest in a PS3 in the future at sometime. I still remember getting GT1+ Dual Shock when they came out, back on the PS1 and it was like an epiphany for the burgeoning car enthusiast within me.
    Edited by 1 at 29/01/08 @ 18:45

  • Res #28 4 years ago

    Forza 2 understeers way too much, its kind of like they left the speed sensitive steering too low, GT5 handles itself much better in that area. Also the game let you make mistakes without punishing you by making grass that slows down your car to a crawl even if you run wide, it just makes everything much more unstable as you would expect. I can't comment on much else as I only played the old Japanese demo.

  • Miths #29 4 years ago

    "Does anyone else think 16 cars on track might be a bit many? On shorter racers it's going to be a serious effort to work your way from the back of the pack before the leaders are a half-lap ahead (without some serious scrummage tactics on slow corners, anyway). Unless you're willing to go through the drudgery of qualifying for every event, that is.

    Seems like a bit of a "more = automatically better, innit" decision."

    Try sixty cars from three different classes around Spa in GTR2. Now that's proper racing entertainment :).
    But of course it's also a sim where you may not even care whether or not you win the race or even place in the top ten - just a single multi-lap battle with one particularly stubborn AI driver can sometimes make for a fantastic race.

    The so called racing "sims" on consoles (GT on the PS, Forza on the XBox) have a long way to go before they can match up to the best on the PC in realism (such as it is). They - or at least GT5 - do severely beat the bland and outdated track graphics of the best PC sims, and of course I'm not saying they can't be very entertaining as well just because I don't feel they really qualify as proper racing sims. I tend to call them "pseudo sims". And I do look forward to GT5 Prologue :).

  • IneptPercy #30 4 years ago

    Is it just me who has played the Jap version and couldn't help but notice the PS1 style trees...

    It really did spoil the look for me, it seems the cars look amazing but some details on the tracks are awful.

    Yes the cars in PGR 4 might not look as nice, but the cars and tracks are balanced with each other as such.

    Game play wise it played very much the same as the other, if that's you thing then you will like it.

  • DjFlex52 #31 4 years ago

    GT5 Prologue runs at 60 fps @ 1440x1080 with 16 cars on-track versus PGR 4's 30 fps @ 1280x720 with 12 car races. OK so GT5 Prologue lacks damage modelling but PGR 4's was only cosmetic anyway and didn't have any affect on the handling. GT5 Prologue certainly looks technically impressive but my main concern is whether the gameplay will be as dull and unecxiting as the previous games in the series. I mean PGR 4 is fun but then it's not a simulation like Forza Motorsport 2 or GT5.

    @Darren

    You forgot to mention it only has 5 tracks :)
    It's too pricey for what you get and I'm not reassured how online will work out with 16 cars.
    This doesnt make me want to buy a PS3 just yet.

  • Apologie #32 4 years ago

    Gt5 is in my opinion the most realistic racer to date... both in terms of graphics and physics, Forza is good, but not even comes close. Have you guy's paid any attention to the videos??? you can actually see the suspension of the vehicles adapting to the road imperfections in such a splendid/realistic way... i cant wait.
    Edited by 1 at 29/01/08 @ 19:51

  • Res #33 4 years ago

    "Gt5 is in my opinion the most realistic racer to date... both in terms of graphics and physics, Forza is good, but not even comes close."

    That is simply not true, perhaps it is more realistic than Forza but PC sims still shit on it from a great height.

  • IneptPercy #34 4 years ago

    "Have you guy's paid any attention to the videos"

    I have played it on a 50" TV (not mine unfortunately)

    All I can say is 2d trees!!! not even slightly convincing.

    I thought I was seeing things and a quick google search confirmed it, look for yourself.

    As I have said its all good things looking nice, but if simple things like trees look rubbish then it spoils the whole look.

  • Apologie #35 4 years ago

    Res

    That is simply not true, perhaps it is more realistic than Forza but PC sims still shit on it from a great height.

    --------------------------

    Very few people (that i know off) actually play these kind of games in Pc's... not to mention that the games you are talking about are not half as good as an overall product. The new GT have better graphics/presentation then them, more cars, tracks and the physics from what i've seen are breathtaking....
    Edited by 2 at 29/01/08 @ 20:02

  • Res #36 4 years ago

    what does having more tracks and better graphics have to do with simulating how a car would react in certain situations?

    Anyway, rFactor was used by BMWF1 in their pit box simulator thing (I can't remember what the damn thing was called) they ran last year, so you can get the official car from their website. rFactor also has an amazing modding community check out the CTDP F1 mod if you want to see good graphics, especially the yet to be released 06 mod, and a lot of the mods actually have professional racing drivers testing for them. Still, if you don't want to bother with modding then there is GTR2 as mentioned earlier, which actually has better AI than rFactor.

    There are some older games but since you seem to be obsessed with graphics rather than physics its probably best not to mention them

  • UncleLou #37 4 years ago

    Yeah, I love the Gran Turismo games, and GT5 will sell a PS3 to me, but people who say they are the most realistic racing games really need look past their favourite console brand. GT Legends (which I prefer to GTR, personally) makes Gran Turismo feel a bit like Mario Kart. There's nothing wrong about that, it's a great mixture of sim and arcade, as long as people realise what it is, and don't just spout nonsense because they don't know anything else.

  • DjFlex52 #38 4 years ago

    Gt5 is in my opinion the most realistic racer to date... both in terms of graphics and physics, Forza is good, but not even comes close. Have you guy's paid any attention to the videos??? you can actually see the suspension of the vehicles adapting to the road imperfections in such a splendid/realistic way... i cant wait.

    @Apologie

    You haven't even played it...how can you say that from a demo and videos?
    You're unbelievable!!

  • Putty-Man #39 4 years ago

    I've always been a fan of the GT series and Im hoping GT5 will be the reason I buy a PS3.

    However to even call it a sim is way off the mark. Even next to 'that other console racer' the series has always been fairly simplistic, let alone the PC brigades simulators. GT5 isnt going to change that but thats not a problem for most people who just want a racer with good graphics, lots of cars, and most importantly fun to play.

    Just dont kid yourselves into thinking its a sim, it's not even close.

  • DrDamn #40 4 years ago

    Just an aside. Most clued up PS3 gamers will have downloaded and played the demo which was available on the Japanese PSN. So yes a few have played it. Several as indicated have also imported.

    Have to agree with general consensus that the game is not the most realistic when taking into account all the PC sims. It does a great job of what it attempts to do though.

  • Carlo #41 4 years ago

    Well for £20 on Amazon I've said "Fuck it!" and pre-ordered. A cut down version sounds good to me, I never 'finish' GT games anyway!!!
    Edited by 1 at 29/01/08 @ 21:21

  • nasanu #42 4 years ago

    Yes PC sims are good we already know that. But the time has come and gone for PC sims ruling the sim racing world. Sure GT5 is never going to be the full PC sim experience with full practice, then qualifying, then warm up, then racing, then the first corner smash, then the next round to do it all again. But in terms of pure physics GT5P matches anything I have played and that includes rFactor, LFS and GTR2. On top of that it will have online play that is at least orgainsed (I found playing LFS and GTR2 online horrific after coming from xbox live) and graphics to absolutely blow them away.

    You have to realise that this is the first GT where PD have given us a full sim option. They have held back in the past to try to please most instead of some. This time they are spliting the physics model instead of dulling it down a tad. But really its getting to the point now that every game is really quite good and the differences that people drone on and on about in forums are nothing worth mentioning.

    I have been playing prologue all year and loving it. GT5P + sim options selected + a good wheel = bliss.

  • Miths #43 4 years ago

    "... But in terms of pure physics GT5P matches anything I have played and that includes rFactor, LFS and GTR2..."

    I'm not entirely sure how convinced I am about that part (aside from rFactor where the quality of the physics is obviously entirely down to the individual mods - some are excellent, some are horrible). Though until I've had a chance to try GT5 with my Logitech G25 wheel, I'll refrain from making any conclusions (does the G25 work with the PS3 or do I have to dig out my old DFP? Not that actually finding a place to set up wheels and pedals in front of my TV isn't going to be pretty much impossible without buying new furniture and redecorating my living room :), which I why I don't mind arcade racers that can be properly played with a pad on consoles).

    In any case, aside from physics, AI also plays a major part in creating an enjoyable single player experience, and if GT5 falls short in that department, it's going to make for a rather less compelling experience - no matter how great graphics and even physics may be.
    Well, at least it can't possibly be as bad as the AI in GT4 - mainly because there really was none, just hunks of virtual metal driving around on rails :).
    As for the continued lack of damage model - a bit disappointing but not really something that bothers me much. It's a racing game afterall, not Burnout or Flatout.

  • Res #44 4 years ago

    You can use the G25 on a PS3. The game plays perfectly with a controller aswell but obviously you want to test it with a steering wheel, so thats kind of irrelevant.

  • NinjaWilliams #45 4 years ago

    Europe gets GT5P before the yanks - its out on the 28th March according to:

    [link url=http://www.pspsps.tv/2008/01/gran_turismo_5_prol ogue_out_in.html
    ]http://ww w.pspsps.tv/2008/01/gran_turism...[/link]

    ^_~

  • mainaman #46 4 years ago


    I have had the Japanese GT5 Prologue since early January,i have completed the game(it's not fair to call it a demo) with DFP and i have been too lazy to write down impressions.

    I will only say that GT5P has the BEST graphics,presentation and in-car view ever and small,but nice selection of non-race cars-old,contemporary and coming soon.

    Handling wise,i am not ready to determine whether it owns FM2,but the physics are definitevely better than GT4 and every car seems unique.And the A.I. has improved-that's not saying much,though.

    No damage,mediocre audio(even with uncompressed PCM) and lack of tuning/customization keep the Prologue from perfection.

    I hope GT5 gets the promised March release in Japan.

  • mikeck #47 4 years ago

    Europe will be playing this end of March, as another poster mentions above...sticking it to the US for once (in game release terms), yay!

  • Corben_Dallas #48 4 years ago

    No PS3 for me until Europe gets GT5 (prolgue or whatever)

    get yur finger out Sony :|